Barcelona will replace thousands of plane trees to survive the heat and provide more shade for the city

Rising temperatures are forcing Barcelona to rethink its urban trees. The City Council plans to replace thousands of plane trees and diversify species. The goal: a cooler, healthier city in the face of climate change.

Extreme heat is no longer an exception in Barcelona, and the transformation of its streets will become visible over the next decade. The 1.5-degree increase since pre-industrial times and forecasts of up to 4 °C more by the end of the century have put the current urban tree model in question. The City Council has decided to speed up the replacement of plane trees, which currently make up almost a third of the city’s trees, in favour of species that are more heat-resistant and less problematic for public health.

At present, Barcelona has around 152,000 trees across 13 main species. Plane trees dominate the landscape, closely followed by hackberry trees. However, the council wants to ensure that no single species exceeds 15% of the total, which will mean replacing more than 24,000 plane trees in the coming years. This transition will not be immediate or involve mass felling; instead, new species will be introduced during urban renovations and as trees reach the end of their natural life cycle.

The challenge is ambitious: to increase tree cover by 5% so that almost a third of the city is under shade, and to ensure that 40% of species are adapted to the future climate. To achieve this, trees such as jacarandas and grevilleas, which are more heat-resistant, will be prioritised, while species that tolerate cold better, like robinia or purple-leaf plum, will be reduced. The aim is for each district to have species suited to its specific conditions, since the microclimate in Raval is not the same as in Vallvidrera.

Diversification is key, according to botany experts, who stress the importance of multidisciplinary strategies and considering factors such as allergies. The aim is not only to combat heat, but also to improve quality of life and residents’ health, allowing people to avoid areas with high pollen concentrations during critical periods.

The process, however, is full of obstacles. Economic and logistical limitations slow down the replacement of species, and the supply of nurseries specialising in warm-climate trees remains scarce in Europe. In addition, the cold winters that still occur in the city make it difficult to introduce Mediterranean or subtropical species on a large scale. Despite these challenges, the City Council is sticking to its roadmap for 2037, though it acknowledges that meeting all the targets on time will be difficult.

The Plan Director del Arbolado de Barcelona, in effect until 2037, is the tool guiding this transformation. This strategic document not only sets the pace for species replacement, but also aims to expand green areas and make them more resistant to pests and climate change. The plan takes into account the reality of each district and seeks to balance the presence of warm- and cold-adapted species according to the vulnerability of the population and territory to high temperatures.

Urban trees in Barcelona are not just an aesthetic issue. Their role in reducing temperature, improving air quality, and creating healthy leisure spaces is fundamental to the city’s wellbeing. The coming transformation will be slow, but it will shape the future of Barcelona’s streets and squares for decades to come.

The Plan Director del Arbolado de Barcelona is one of the city’s most ambitious climate adaptation initiatives. This plan, which runs until 2037, sets concrete goals for diversifying species, increasing green coverage, and adapting trees to new weather conditions. It also involves experts from different disciplines and the participation of districts to address the specific needs of each area. Its implementation is an example of how cities can anticipate the challenges of climate change and prioritise the health and comfort of their residents.

One factor complicating the process is the shortage of European nurseries specialising in warm-climate trees. Demand for jacarandas, grevilleas, and other subtropical species has grown across Europe as cities adapt their tree plans, but the supply of large specimens is not keeping pace, forcing the City Council to plan each replacement well in advance.